Morning Practice Management Course in MauiCUAIn conjunction with the pioneering the efforts of the California Urological Association, the Western Section has added a new program to help its members deal with the issue of workplace violence, threat awareness, prevention, and response. The first in a series of courses will be offered this year in conjunction with the Western Section AUA Annual Meeting in Maui.

The focus of this informal gathering is to introduce the new Western
Section Aspiring Leaders Program (ALP). The purpose of ALP is to offer a
pathway for those aspiring to be leaders in organized Urology /
Medicine and find opportunities. We are launching this with a group of
current leaders and mentors who will share their stories and experiences
and the steps they took to earn a leadership position. This event will
start with a short "get acquainted" happy hour and will include an
introduction to this new program and plenty of time for discussion and
questions.

Moderated by John Lam, M.D., AUA Young Urologist Representative for the Western Section AUA

Share this article:

Advanced Practice Provider (APP) / Allied Health ProgramWSAUAFor the second year, we are pleased to continue a special CME segment
during the Maui meeting that is directed toward our Advanced Practice
Provider (APP) attendees, nurse practitioners and other allied
professional colleagues in Urology. We encourage you to register the
non-M.D. professionals in your practice and have them attend.

Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgery Widely UsedRenal & Urology NewsRobot-assisted radical prostatectomy came into widespread use from 2003 to 2010, especially among surgeons who handle a relatively large number of radical prostatectomy (RP) cases, a new study found. This widespread adoption of robotic-assisted RP (RARP) was associated with an increased economic burden for prostate cancer (PCa) surgery.

Blood Tests Predict Kidney Disease Patients' Risk of Developing Heart FailureAmerican Society of Nephrology via Medical Xpress Two blood markers are strongly linked with the development of heart failure in individuals with mild to severe kidney disease, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Elevations in these markers may indicate subclinical cardiovascular changes that subsequently contribute to the development of heart failure. Patients with chronic kidney disease are at increased risk of developing heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases. Researchers conducted a study to see if certain blood tests might help identify patients at especially high risk.

Transurethral Resection Bladder Perforation May Worsen OutcomesRenal & Urology NewsBladder perforation during transurethral resection of superficial bladder tumors is associated with worse outcomes, investigators reported in the World Journal of Urology. Evi Comploj, M.D., of the Central Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy, and colleagues studied 565 patients who underwent TUR for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Of these, 37 (6.5 percent) experienced bladder perforation at the time of tumor resection. The investigators compared these patients with the remaining 538 patients who did not have bladder perforation.

California Regulators Clear Obamacare Rates, Hold Off on NetworksLos Angeles TimesCalifornia regulators won't challenge the next round of health insurance rate increases in the state exchange, but insurers' narrow networks of doctors and hospitals are drawing tougher scrutiny. The state's two insurance regulators didn't find proposed premiums for 2015 individual coverage to be unreasonable among the 10 health plans in the Covered California exchange. These rates also apply to individual coverage outside the state's Obamacare marketplace.

Supreme Court to Decide Idaho Medicaid Reimbursement DisputeReutersThe U.S. Supreme Court is set to decide in a case coming from Idaho whether private medical providers can sue a state in order to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates to deal with rising medical costs. The justices agreed to hear an appeal filed by the state of Idaho, which says that medical providers have no legal recourse to sue. The case focuses on rates for certain residential services.

Medical Schools Change How Students Prepare for WorkU.S. News & World ReportFor the medical industry, change seems to be the only constant. The federal government recently implemented the Affordable Care Act, a nationwide health initiative that's changing the health insurance market. in 2015, the Association of American Medical Colleges will roll out a brand new MCAT, an admissions exam that helps determine who gets into medical school and who does not.
Another major change in the works will shape the way medical students prepare for residencies.

The FDA Takes Steps to Strengthen Cybersecurity of Medical DevicesU.S. Food and Drug Administration To strengthen the safety of medical devices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finalized recommendations to manufacturers for managing cybersecurity risks to better protect patient health and information. The final guidance, titled "Content of Premarket Submissions for Management of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices," recommends that manufacturers consider cybersecurity risks as part of the design and development of a medical device, and submit documentation to the FDA about the risks identified and controls in place to mitigate those risks.

Telemedicine Cuts Costs and Improves Outcomes in Chronic Disease ManagementnuviunOn the digital health Landscape, telemedicine is making a difference in chronic disease management. A meta-analysis of all the research published on the effectiveness of the use of telemedicine in Congestive Heart Failure, stroke, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – three leading causes of death in the United States – reveals that telemedicine can cut costs and improve health outcomes.

Canceled Health Plans: Round 2Kaiser Health NewsThousands of consumers who were granted a reprieve to keep insurance plans that don't meet the federal health law's standards are now learning those plans will be discontinued at year's end, and they’ll have to choose a new policy, which may cost more.

New Strategies May Boost Patient ComplianceMedPage Today Healthcare providers are missing lots of opportunities to improve medication adherence, several speakers said at a conference on patient engagement sponsored by MedCity Media. Nick Katopodis, an executive at StoneArch, a Minneapolis-based medical marketing firm, said at a panel discussion that one missed opportunity he often sees is that providers fail to point out to patients that their medication adherence affects not only them but also their caregivers. "Sometimes the patient is more concerned about you as a caregiver," Katopodis said.

Top Things Every Small Practice Needs to Know about ReimbursementsMediGainThe Affordable Care Act may impact medical reimbursement for small medical practices, both positively and negatively. The Congressional Budget Office projects there will be 13 million people enrolled in health insurance exchanges in 2015. As these newly insured patients request services, small practice revenue will likely increase. However, reimbursement may decrease for some or all services.